Pyre's Song
by BelovedSlayer
Summary: A mysterious, yet handsome stranger moves next door to the Summers' residence, and Buffy is immediately smitten. His name is Angel, and he is a vampire king, arriving in the New World to search for a vampire bride. Her name? Buffy Summers.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Pyre's Song

TV Show: Beloved Slayer

Rating: PG-13 to R

Summary: A mysterious, yet handsome stranger moves next door to the Summers' residence, and Buffy is immediately smitten. His name is Angel, and he is a vampire king, arriving in the New World to search for a bride. Unbeknownst to Buffy, Angel is determined at all costs to make her his vampire Queen.

Author's Notes: If anyone can remember watching the movie Fright Night, then this plot is slightly based on it, which means Angel is pretty much like Angelus, but more calculating and charismatic.

Prologue.

From the journals of the Vampire King, Angelus.

Dublin, Ireland.

1787 A.D.

One hundred years had passed rather quickly, much to my disliking, and still there were no sign of her existence anywhere in this remote part of Dublin. I've spent countless years searching for the one who I would deem to possibly become my bride, but the search so far has been daunting and hopeless. It seems as if I will never find her; spend the rest of my immortal days walking the grounds of this vast Earth alone.

I am vehemently close to the point of frustration and bitterness; the urge to toss a stool against the crimson walls close to unbearable. Without a bride, I cannot continue my vampiric line, much less create future heirs. The other Vampire Kings have pushed me to continue my search, but as usual, I had no such luck. My minions were of no use either, and my patience is beginning to wear thin, exhaustion taking place in the depths of my cold, unwelcome heart.

In all my five hundred years of existence, I had loved only one, if you would like to label it that, but even with my reputation as a womanizer, she didn't fare long enough, as I had gotten tired of her antics despite the feelings that existed for her. We had gone our separate ways, and that was the end of it.

Perhaps, I'll be able to find my true love somewhere in the fresh discovery of the New World.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: In this story, Buffy is the Slayer when arriving in Sunnydale, but is trying to keep a bit of a normal life. Angelus doesn't know about her true identity. This chapter will start out slow as I'm trying to make it a bit normal at first. And as always, thank you for the reviews! Enjoy.  
**

Sunnydale, California

2009 A.D.

"Dammit!" Buffy cursed as her finger was roughly scraped against an exposed nail bed, skin opening to reveal a drop of blood that fell gracefully onto the aging wooden floor. Unopened boxes were scattered throughout the bare room, and an expression of frustration was beginning to set in her features. Immediately her wound begin to heal and close before she could blink.

She heavily sighed in exasperation. Today was one of those days where she did not want to gather her belongings and make this room her own. So much work had to be done still, and she was in Sunnydale for only less than two days. She had an impulse to punch something, but it was a futile decision.

She thought for a minute as to why she couldn't have stayed in Los Angeles instead. She was an adult after all. Living here was not exactly what she had wanted, especially because she was hoping to bring some semblance of a normal life into the chaos that was her current one. She had high hopes, but still, she sighed. A cup of coffee would have done some good to calm her rambling thoughts. Or maybe not.

"Buffy, honey, are you alright? I heard yelling," Joyce Summers called from the hallway, entering her room, rays of sunlight beaming through her ash-blond curls, a wet dishtowel in hand.

"Yeah, I'm alright. No biggie really, just a little cut," Buffy answered casually, breathing through her nose in an attempt to relieve some of her stress. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem a bit out of it. I know it's hard, moving to a new town and all."

Buffy turn to look at her mother, a smile of gratefulness plastered on her features before she replied, "Yeah, I'm okay Mom. Really. Nothing to worry about. Scout's honor."

Joyce nodded. "Just let me know if you need any help. I'll be spending my time putting the dishes away." She rolled her eyes before exiting the room.

"Will do," Buffy assured, turning her attention to the vastness of the unopened cardboard boxes. Her first mission before doing anything else was to find her prized pig, Mr. Gordo, at once.

Before she could do that, a silver glint caught the corner of her eye. "I spot with my little eye…something that looks like silver," Buffy mused, heading directly towards a double door closet that was slightly ajar.

Cobwebs fluttered in the cool breeze that shifted in the room; curiosity taking a hold of the Slayer. She reached down between the closet doors, eying a black jewelry box that was covered with a thick sheet of dust, as if it were sitting there motionlessly for centuries. Without giving much thought, Buffy opened the box, to discover a small silver claddagh ring that appeared unworn and mark-free.

"Hmm. Wonder who this belongs to?" She pondered, inspecting it before she was interrupted by her mother. "Honey, dinner's ready," she called out. "Coming!" She inserted the ring back to its' original place before pocketing it.

She scurried down the stairs, never noticing a shadowed figure standing in the center of her room, watching her.

Buffy approached the spacious kitchen, hunger pangs ravishing in the pit of her stomach before a flickering image caught her sight. Hairs stood on the back of the neck as a female reporter appeared on the TV screen in the living room, her face professional, but solemn.

"_Another body has been discovered at the corner of 38__th__ and Western sometime at around five o'clock this morning. Police say that the apparent victim was a known prostitute who was a former postal worker at the local U.S. mail carrier. Cause of death remains unknown, although the victim had shown signs of blunt force trauma and strangulation. Although there appears to be injury sustained by what appeared to be a barbeque fork, no weapon has yet been found. So far, the victim could not be I'D and is now tagged as a Jane Doe. Police remain skeptical that the case is connected to the four previous homicides that had occurred in the last few weeks, though they remain optimistic that a suspect will be brought in for questioning. So far there are no leads, although both the commissioner and the mayor have now issued a city-wide curfew beginning at 9pm tonight. Police are asking for any information that may lead to an arrest. If you have any information concerning the case, you are asked to call the police immediately at this number." _

Buffy narrowed her eyes in suspicion, her heart sinking. Despite the curfew and the yearning for a normal life, she made it her priority to patrol the local cemeteries and assure that nothing was out of place. She shuddered at the thought before a voice broke her reverie.

"Poor girl. Honestly, these murders need to be stopped. Shouldn't have happened in the first place." Joyce shook her head in sadness. Out of earshot, Buffy whispered, "Someone will."

Despite it being summer, the night air took on a oppressive and frigid appearance. Trotting though Weatherly Park, Buffy walked silently in the night, clutching at her stake. Slayer senses were on high alert, although doubt played in the corner of her mind. She questioned whether or not her imagination was running wild.

Los Angeles was still overrun with vampires; a part of her mind was questioning whether or not they had decided to make the leap and escape to Sunnydale yet, but at this point, she couldn't afford to take any chances. If she had the chance to prevent another death, then so be it. She immediately stiffened. A cackling was heard not too far from where she now stood: the entrance of Sunnyrest cemetery.

"Come out come out, wherever you are," Buffy called, preparing her body in a stance before she heard a twig snapping underneath heavy footsteps. Male, she quickly thought. She spun around, probing her surroundings. She was alone. She heard a rustling before she entered the cemetery, heart picking up sudden speed.

She heard a growl. Vampire, her instincts warned. She kept her focus on the cemetery, but hadn't noticed any sign of movement. It was a bait and twitch tactic, she observed. "So, are you gonna keep me waiting here all night, or would you like to, I don't know, start Round One?" She shrugged her shoulders, uncertain. Her question and challenge went unanswered.

"I guess that would be a no," she mumbled, disappointed.

She jumped at a frantic noise, noticing the sound of a limp body being dragged mere feet away from her, although it was cast in absolute shadow. Someone, or something, was dragging the corpse across a row of crypts.

Buffy quickly followed it, careful not to break any semblance of a sound. The corpse dropped onto the wet mew grass, the movement abruptly stopping. Another growl enveloped the night, and immediately, a tall, lithe body swooped at the Slayer, its' weight pressing against her small body.

"Vampire. I knew it. You guys just don't know when to stop spreading your seed, do you?" Buffy quipped, before she felt iron hands wrapping around her throat, constricting her larynx. She clawed at the hands, and in desperate mode, used her teeth to sink into the vampire's flesh. _Eww_, she cried in her thoughts.

A yowl pierced the air as Buffy stood to her feet, raising the stake. Shifting her right foot in position, her foot connected with the vampire's face, sending him reeling against a nearby limestone crypt.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes: Big apologies for the lack of updates. I wanted to take my time to process this story a bit better than what I was doing with Weight of the World. Hopefully the updates will come more quickly. I forgot to mention that this story is a bit inspired from the movie Fright Night, which happens to be one of my favorites. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. And thank you, as always, for the reviews. They help keep me going and help me try to become a better writer. Now, onto the story. Enjoy!**

The vampire landed against the door of the weathered crypt with a loud thud, breaking the double fragile doors in the process. "Had enough?" Buffy taunted, performing a somersault over the ridden corpse that lay motionlessly on the grass, venturing towards the staggering vampire who was struggling to stand on both feet before she begin her assault with a various of swift kicks and punches, breaking the cartilage of his nose, then bruising his jaw.

With the uncomfortable closeness of his enemy, his face remained in shadow as he threw a rapid punch across the Slayer's cheek, knocking her senseless.

Almost immediately it began to convert into a bruise that consisted of varying colors as she spiraled onto the area near the pale corpse that was now entering rigor mortis. "Slayer," the shadowed vampire whispered with a seductive Southern twang. It sent shivers down the Slayer's spine.

"Okay, you really don't want to say that unless you can actually come out of hiding and face me. And hey, creepy Southern accent there," Buffy cued, wiping away traces of wet grass from her leggings as she regained her footing. "I guess I can do that," the vampire bowed in the darkness, a hint of amusement latched in his voice. "You may rise, my child," he commanded to the corpse, which was now mobile as it rose to its' maggot-infested feet, reveling itself in all its' naked glory.

Buffy had the slight urge to gag, before sense overcame her as she tackled the corpse onto the ground. The corpse's dirt encrusted fingernails attempted to claw at the Slayer, but to no avail. "Hold still why don't ya? I can't put the stake in you if you can't hold still," She muttered impatiently, reaching for a silver dagger that was hidden underneath her hoodie, while keeping her firm hold on the vampiric body that was thrashing wildly at nothing.

"We won't have none of that Slayer. My child, you may attack," the Southern voice ordered from behind Buffy, distracting her while she felt a hand clutching at her throat, constricting her wind pipe. Taken by surprise yet impressed by the body's strength, Buffy scratched at the corpse's hand, only to see her nails covered with pieces of falling, decaying flesh.

"Okay, way beyond eww," she muttered. At the last minute, she placed a firm kick directly against the lower area of the stomach, simultaneously connecting her foot towards the kneecap, and within seconds, the corpse lay muddled against mounds of dirt.

Without hesitation, Buffy pressed the dagger against its' throat, slashing it. In seconds, it was truly dead. She spun around, facing the mysterious vampire. "Next," Buffy smiled in confidence. Then the battle truly began.

It was not easy coming home late at night, especially when one was caked with tracks of matted mud, water, and dust that sputtered throughout the many layers of clothing, especially on a constant daily basis, but that was the essence and sacrifice of the Slayer. Getting down and dirty was part of the job, even if Buffy didn't enjoy it.

Approaching the front door to her house, she wiped the last, faint traces of vampire dust away from her leather jacket, and remotely sighed, tucking traces of hair behind her ear. "In desperate need for a bath. I make even Mr. Gordo look clean," Buffy cackled, shoving her stake under her pant legging before unlocking the front door, entering the hall carefully.

The smells of spaghetti sauce wafted through the living and dining room, making her mouth water. Her stomach grumbled in response. "Buffy, is that you?" Joyce entered the dining room, taking in the repugnant scent that seemed to radiate from her daughter. Her nose twitched. "Let me guess. Slayer patrol?" She cocked her eyebrow in amusement, holding a skillet.

Buffy looked down at her appearance, then shrugged in awkward embarrassment. "Am I that transparent?" A forced laugh resonated from her mouth, the urge to crawl into her room and never coming down increasing.

"Well, you could use a bath. Why don't you go up, take a shower, and get dressed. We got company coming in an hour, and I'm cooking dinner." At this, alert signals went off in Buffy's head, but she answered calmly, even though puzzlement etched at her facial expression. "Company? Mom, since when did we have company? Someone from the art gallery?"

Joyce was a bit taken aback from her daughter's rapid fire questions, but answered reasonably with a "Well actually, no. They're the new next door neighbors. A client of mine told me that someone was moving in next door to the Jamesons' residence. I didn't know about it until I saw a few moving trucks parked outside earlier myself. What a surprise that was."

Buffy's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why Buffy, is something wrong?"

She shook her head furiously. "No, nothing. No reason Mom. Just wanted to know, since we haven't had company over in like, what? Ages?" She shrugged her shoulders casually in an attempt to mask her rising suspicion. She hadn't noticed that there was no sign of any new neighbor moving in next door. Not even a Sold sign that hinted at their arrival. "Are you sure?" Joyce suggested. "Yeah, I'm sure Mom. Why don't you finish up with the dinner, and I'll go up and get ready." With that, Buffy took off directly towards the upstairs bathroom, slamming the white door behind her.

"Buffy, honey, the guests are here. Are you ready to come down?" Joyce yelled from the bottom stair. "Coming!" Buffy yelled in response, before exiting her room. She scurried down the stairs, taking two at a time, unconsciously tying her silver cross necklace around her neck.

She entered the kitchen, all eyes quickly laying on her presence. For a moment, shyness overtook her as she reluctantly eyed her guests in return. "Buffy, I'd like you to meet the new neighbors. This is William, originally from England. He's an art collector," Joyce introduced her to a man who deemed a few years older than her. He had chiseled, small-boned features, bleach blond white hair slicked back towards his neck, dark eyes piercing, his lips curving into a wicked, yet friendly smile as he shook out his hand. Buffy had noticed a small scar above his eyebrow before placing her small hand in his.

"Nice to meet you mate. Buffy, I presume?" William spoke belligerently before dropping his hand. Buffy had noticed that his hand was abnormally cold. Hairs rose on the back of her neck as she introduced herself, but quickly looked away, until she locked eyes with a pair that resembled a warm, rich chocolate brown color.

Her breath was taken away at the beautiful sight of the other guest. He trotted towards her slowly, taking his time to approach her with a kind, handsome smile, revealing a set of perfect white teeth while his eyes was drinking her in. He was wearing a v-neck sweater that accentuated all of the right curves and muscles, hugging at his slim, but muscular hips, his black trousers revealing fit, long legs.

Buffy's heart began to pick up speed as a slight blush began to rise in her cheeks. "The name is Angelus, but you are free to call me Angel," the handsome stranger introduced, placing a small, yet gentle kiss on the Slayer's hand. Buffy had scarcely noticed that his lips were icy cold.

She didn't care. She was already falling.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four.**

**Author's Notes: In this story, Buffy is the Slayer of course, but this time she has no Watcher, as the previous one in L.A. was killed by Lothos.**

"That was a lovely dinner, Mrs. Summers. I hope we can do it again sometime," Angel marveled. Both William and himself were exiting to return to their home, Buffy and her mom trailing not too far behind them. It was evident that they were both in awe of his charismatic presence. Buffy herself was already falling deeply for him. It was sheer evidence to the contrary that he was kind, good-natured, and intelligent. Most importantly, he resembled some sort of stability; something that Buffy was in desperate need considering her dangerous nightly duty of having to battle the forces of evil.

So why did her Slayer senses detect something that was not quite right about him?

"My pleasure. You're welcome to come visit anytime," Joyce offered warmly, opening the front door for both gentlemen. Angel responded by grinning and nodding his head, then shot a short glance at Buffy, dark eyes boring into her hazel ones. For a minute, they were lost in each other, until Joyce abruptly cut the connection short. "I hope to be seeing you more Miss Summers. Perhaps we can go out to dinner sometime?" Angel offered, placing a soft kiss to Buffy's small, firm hand.

A strange look quickly developed on his handsome face before immediately vanishing, never allowing anyone to notice the off mark expression. He noticed the hidden strength underlying Buffy; something that was not evident in the other girls he had seduced in many centuries past. Something that instinct had told him was not quite human. His interest in her piqued despite the discomfort and puzzlement.

"Peaches, c'mon, we have to go and get our things settled then," William scurried, glancing at his watch while tapping its' face with the tip of his finger. "Meet me in the car," Angel ordered, expecting William to obey his command. He did. He spun to face the two women. "It was a pleasure meeting you both. I hope we'll do this again sometime?" He offered, giving Buffy one last look before walking directly into the night.

"You bet," Buffy answered a bit too late, despite her instinct warning of potential danger. A glow emanated from her, and her mother took notice. "Seeing something you like?" Buffy eyed her mother, a blush conveying on her cheeks, before answering, "Maybe." She left her mother to ramble to herself, quickly making her way up the stairs towards her bedroom, preparing to settle in on a night where no demons were roaming the streets.

Hours later, right before the light rays of the dawn were to arrive, she slept peacefully, holding tightly against the plush cushion of Mr. Gordo between her arms. She hadn't noticed a shadow lurking underneath her open window, its' eyes boring onto her sleeping form with longing and a sense of forbidden desire.

It licked its' lips in anticipation, its' aching teeth beginning to develop into lengthening, needle points that were surpassing his chin, hungry for the scent of warm blood. "Soon, you will be mine," it murmured at nothing before vanishing, the first rays of the sun filtering in through the open blinds, welcoming a new day.

She vehemently tossed and turned underneath the mass amounts of cotton sheets and comforter. She was caught in the line of fire. In every direction, hoards of bloodthirsty vampires could be seen throughout the dank alleys, all gathering into mass hunting parties, hungry and desperate for her blood. These were not ordinary vampires, she noticed in the dream; rather, they were the soulless bodies of the fallen citizens of Sunnydale; victims of what was now deemed to be a unknown murder spree plaguing upon the quaint, yet secretive town.

Her body thrashed and convulsed violently under the sheets, and she was keenly aware why, despite being in REM sleep. She saw herself amongst the fallen, a set of fangs glistening from her mouth, a cruel sneer etched in her vampiric face. Alongside her stood the beautiful man she had only met last night. Angel, as a member of the undead.

"Had a rough dream last night?" Her mother asked a few hours later, sipping a cup of strong black coffee while reading the newspaper, perching comfortably in the kitchen island. Buffy yawned, reaching towards the refrigerator for a glass of orange juice. "More than a dream, Mom. This one gave me the actual wiggins. Couldn't sleep after that," she admitted sluggishly, prying to keep her eyes open despite the lack of rest. A blaring noise coming from the television caught her attention.

"_We now have breaking news to report. Sources are confirming that another body of a young woman has been discovered in the alley behind the Sun Cinema building. Police say twenty-four year old Sarah Marshall, of Sunnydale, was discovered behind a dumpster only a few feet from the theatre establishment. COD seems to be caused by a weapon resembling a barbecue fork. Apparent bruising has been discovered between the neck and shoulder area, but police have no confirmed information as to whether or not the death was accidental or foul play was involved. No clues or leads have been discovered, although police believe that the death is closely connected to the other four recent murders with similar M.O.'s. The police are now seeking information for any leads or clues that may lead to potential suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call this number." _

Tingles of alertness coursed through the Slayer's veins. She paused for a moment in order to gather herself. She suspected that vampires were behind the rampant murders. The clues were much obvious. "Poor girl. I do hope they find whoever did this," Joyce shook her head in sympathy, placing the last few dirty dishes into the sink with a loud clank.

Lips forming into a hard line, Buffy was sternly determined to begin her investigation. Her first course of action? Beating the info out of Willy the Snitch.

"Peaches, what the hell are ya doing, you big bunt? You can't just keep killin' these women off-handily," William scolded, pacing back and forth anxiously, releasing a puff of smoke from his cigarette as he eyed his grandsire with disdain and disbelief. Angel remained silent, peering off into the distance. "You're attracting attention from the boys in blue. What'd they'd say if they knew about us? And with this Slayer lurking about….."

Angel dismissed William's scolding. "Let them look. After all, this is Sunnydale. None of the fools truly believe that they are living upon a Hellmouth. As for this Slayer, maybe she does not exist. It could be a figment of the Powers' imagination." He took a deep drink of the blood coursing through his wine glass, savoring the taste pressing between his cold lips.

William shook his head in quiet bewilderment. His grandsire truly was thick headed. "And what if you're wrong? What if she knows about us? Hunting us down?" Angel finally spun in his chair to look at his grand childe. "Well, then we accept the challenge. Who knows? Nothing more fitting nor ironic than to have the Slayer as my Queen, don't you think?"

At this, Angel flashed his brilliant, dashing smile. It sent shivers down William's back. He grinned devilishly in return, taking another puff before exhaling in joy.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes: Here is chapter five. Writing the scene between Spike and Angel was actually fun, more so than with Buffy and Angel, which is weird. Ha. Anyways, this story will continue as long as the ideas come pouring in. As far as I know, Willy will be featured in this story. He doesn't appear in enough fanfics, so I guess I'm taking pity on him. Anyways, enjoy!**

In the shadowed corner near the drinking establishment, he inhaled a fume of smoke into his lungs, his frigid hands clasping together impatiently, anticipating for his next source to arrive. He unconsciously wiped the last traces of dried blood from the corners of his mouth. A sneer was pressed on his lips, his mouth and fangs glistening with saliva that was staining his velvet button down shirt. He became weary.

"Would you calm the hell down, mate? You're not doin' us a favor by walking across back and forth like a bloody guard, ya know?" came the accented voice of William, balled fists hidden in the destroyed leather pockets of his trench coat, the urge to seek violence against his grandsire on the verge of escalating.

"Shut up Spike. She has to be here. Otherwise, it will all be for nothing," Angel barked, continuing his rapid pace despite Spike's pleas. Spike responded by releasing a sound that resembled an amused snort. "You honestly think that she'll come to you willingly? She's not stupid, you soddin' pounce. You've seen her fight. She's not like the others. She's a warrior for the Powers for blood's sake. You're quite daft if you believe she'll allow you to nibble her bits and be your queen." A short laugh escaped from William's lungs, shaking his head despondently as he took a swig of Budlight that burned harshly in his throat.

His own hands balling into fists, Angelus didn't have the ounce of willingness to admit that his grand childe was right. "So what you do suggest I'll do? Go to her home and ask her to escort me to the dance? We don't even know if she is the Slayer. It could be speculation only, Spikey." William rolled his eyes in response, then sighed in defeat. "My my, are we being stubborn, eh Peaches? Never could figure out why grand mum put up with ya. A pain in the arse and a thorn in my bloody side is all you are, me thinks."

"Didn't I say to shut up Mr. Peroxide Billy Idol wannabe? Here she comes. Now be a good little lapdog and hide yourself in that corner over there until I signal a direct order." Angelus gritted his teeth, patience wearing incredibly thin. With a single lack of breath on his part, Angelus placed himself hidden in the far left corner, anticipating the arrival of the alleged Slayer.

With a quick glance at both sides, she broke unto the padded lock that encased the door handle to Willy's Bar. Despite its' closed off appearance, she knew better than the bar being unoccupied. To her unsurprised knowledge, it was the direct opposite. She could hear the sounds of jeering and chortling mumbling from behind the heavily steeled crimson door that bore the insignia of the establishment. She was about to turn the intricate handle clockwise when she felt a hand brushing on her shoulder.

She spun quickly around, producing a stake from behind. "What are you doing here?" She snapped, until her eyes soften in remorse, her cheeks redden in embarrassment. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to snap at you like that." She looked down, not wanting to meet Angel's eyes.

Trying to control her heart rate, Buffy felt desire and fear settling in the pit of her stomach. He grinned, accepting her apology. "It's more than alright. Though I like to know why someone as beautiful as yourself is out here this late in the evening." Buffy scrambled to search for an answer. She felt the beating in her heart palpitating, her instinct indecisive as to whether or not to trust this stranger with revealing her true self. _Don't even go there Buffy. Bad idea, _she thought to herself sternly.

She decided for now on settling for the blunt, if not, evasive version of the truth. "Came here to meet a friend. Well, he's more annoying than a typical friend so to speak. He's a bartender here." She bore her intended lie into Angel's darkened eyes, willing him to take the bait. He searched her eyes before accepting the edited fib.

The scent of her blood pulsated, and for a moment, he prayed to whatever force there was in the universe that she wouldn't notice the fact that he had only fed a mere few minutes ago before she had made her presence known.

He concealed himself with a firm line pressed on his lips in a failed attempt to reveal a forced hint of a genuine smile. "Would you like me to accompany you? That is, if you don't mind?" He offered, his face half in shadow. A sudden breeze wafted in the air, bringing shivers and a sense of weakening resolve down the Slayer's spine. Before she could answer, a scuffling was heard in the corner of the alley that lead to the padded door of the liquor store, interrupting her thoughts.

"Wait here," Buffy ordered in an awkward fashion, uncertainty and alarm etched on her face. "I don't want you out there. What if there is trouble?" Angel offered with a startled, concern look. To the naked eye, the worried expression shown in his eyes was nothing if not a insincere performance, but suspicion was not cast on the Slayer. Her attention was focused on the area up ahead. Curiosity bubbled in his stomach at the intriguing human before him. It was obvious that she didn't fear him.

"I took martial arts classes for a couple of years. It's no biggie, really." Buffy whittled through her teeth, hoping that he wouldn't understand the newly formed fib that she was tossing at him in an effort to give him a distraction. She spun on her heels before he could reply when she felt his hand clenching at her arm. "I can't allow you to go. What if you get seriously injured? It is a man's duty to protect those that cannot protect themselves." Buffy sensed a trace of anger rising to the surface, battling against her growing desire to press her lips against his. She had to admit that his remark annoyed her, causing her to burrow her brows and scowl.

"A man's duty? Seriously, you have got to be kidding me. This is like, what, the twentieth century, not the 1950's. I don't need a man to be my bodyguard. I can do it myself Mr. Incognito. Unless you have a problem with that." At this, she cocked an eyebrow defiantly. Immediately, Angel released his hold on her, silence permeating the air.

"At least allow me to escort you," he offered, his undead heart beckoning for her to accept. Buffy opened her mouth to answer when she felt two rough hands shoving her from behind. She fell onto the shortened concrete, her jaw hitting itself against a pile of gravel. "What is this, kindergarten? Fight me like a real woman, why don't ya." She formed into a ball, rolling on one knee to block an oncoming kick that was directing itself against her face.

She blocked the steel toed foot, tucking her right hand to grab the beefy leg in order to flip the body over her. Success. Dabbling in a few lower punches behind the kneecaps and upper thigh area, Buffy didn't waste any time to stand on both feet, using her right leg to kick against the attacker's abdomen.

She gave a nod towards Angel before continuing, sensing his presence from behind. Trouble ensued. Without revealing herself as the Chosen One, Buffy was having difficult in deciding whether or not to dust the punk vampire into ashes.

In front of Angel. The risks were now weighing on her shoulders.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: So so so sorry that it's taken this long to update with another chapter. I wanted to take a short break from writing, recharge my battery before I jumped to it again with another update. This will be the last chapter for at least a couple of more weeks as I'm gonna be heading out of town this weekend. But it's best to say that I'll probably be working on ideas for the next chapter while I'm gone. For this chapter, be warned, there are a few sexual scenes here. Other than that, hope you guys enjoy the chapter. And thank you all for the awesome feedback! **

She fastidiously blinked in continuous succession moments before she took the opportunity to deliver the first strike against the bristling vampire. She felt a hand pressing unexpectedly against her torso, shoving her roughly onto the side against the bar establishment. "A lady shouldn't have to fight. That's my job," Angelus injected, glancing at the Slayer before tackling the punk vampire into a barrel of trash cans.

The sounds of fist throwing, insults, and jabbing came seconds later, and a stunned look was plastered on her chalk white face in disbelief as the sights of Angelus and the vamp steered out of her blurry vision. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, but without much success.

_No way he could have moved that damn fast. Wonder if he's a vamp? Can't be though. He feels a bit human. He's warm…, _her thoughts fumbled in mental distortion as she ran her hand through her hair, trying to gather herself, but shuttered in spite of it. The more she tried to find the answer to her question, the more baffled she became. Was there such a thing as a potential vampire hybrid? She would have to ask Giles about that.

"Well, look it here. Angelus defending the Slayer? Since when you did become a lapdog for the white hats? Something you're not telling us, your majesty?" the punk vampire spat each word with sarcasm and accusation as he pursued Angelus with a hungry, detested look that shone in his eyes and dangerous smile. His words did not fall blindly on the Slayer's ears.

She peered over the corner of Willy's, noting that Angelus was now being cornered by the large vampire that wore thick, rattling chains around his neck and wrists. Her brows furrowed in surprise and growing suspicion.

_What the hell? This vamp actually knows Angel? Can't be. This doesn't add up. Mister has some explainin' to do. And to think, I'm liking him. Shame on you couldn't have picked someone normal? Like Pike?  
_

"Dare to question me, Rufus? Remember who you are speaking to. You would not be standing in front of my presence if you hadn't begged me in desperation to sire you. Now, if you decide to reveal my true identity in front of this supposed Slayer, I will kindly tear your measly spine from your body and use it as a decoration above my fireplace. Do you understand, or do I have to remind you of your place again?"

Fear replaced the stint of defiance in the vampire's blood red eyes, dropping to his knees and bowing before Angelus in a show of remorse and obedience.

"That was not so hard now, was it?" Angelus cocked an eyebrow. "Now, leave us. I have matters to attend to." It wasn't a demand, it was a direct order. In seconds, the vampire nodded and vanished into the night.

_Time to play the sheep in wolf's clothing, _Angelus sneered mentally, dusting off motes of invisible lint from his trench coat. He licked his lengthening fangs in suppressed hunger as the Slayer hesitantly approached him with caution. "You okay?"

_Not exactly, my dear. I could go for a drop of your blood tonight as my body is growling for your untapped, warm liquid that flows through your body. If you're willing to allow me to drink you from those marvelous veins of yours, that is. _He nodded to assure her, replacing his treacherous thoughts with a devastatingly seductive smile. "Yes, I am. Thank you. It's late, is it not? Would you allow me to escort you home? A woman such as yourself shouldn't be out so late."

Buffy felt her chest picking up speed, a narrow blush developing on her cheeks, despite her growing suspicions of him. She felt torn between her sacred duty and her growing feelings that were enveloping her. "I, uh. I have someplace I need to be. You know, stuff."

He moved an inch towards her, his mouth uttering a single, low growl that she couldn't hear. "Are you sure? I could escort you to whatever place you need to be." With that, he placed a single hand against her cheek, cupping against it delicately. All rational thought disappeared from the Slayer's mind as she placed her hand against his own, noticing slightly that it was a mixture of frigid and warmth.

_So _not _a vampire. Good with his hands too, _she struggled to maintain her composure, but felt her legs beginning to weaken underneath her, threatening to buckle. "Nothing wrong with enjoying a caress now, is there?" Angelus whispered the words against her ear, his lips now pressing gently against her lower jaw, before he traced them down to her neck, which was exposed under her jacket collar.

For him, his hunger increased a thousand fold. Blood was sheer vitality to him, as it was for many of his children. Not being aware of her surroundings, Buffy hadn't notice Angelus shoving her body against the bar establishment.

"No," Buffy muttered, a guttural sound forming in her throat as she pressed her own lips against Angelus' lower cheek. She felt his hand brushing against her right breast, feeling his hand clasping against it, rubbing his thumb against her hardening, sensitive nipple.

A low moan escaped from her mouth as her legs circled against his, tightening against his waist as if she didn't want to let him go. She felt his member hardened against her in response. Tiny kisses trailed alongside his jaw and neck in the throes of heated passion, the responsibility of being the Chosen One were tossed aside in negligence. Without a given thought.

For that moment, she didn't care about her worries, nor her suspicions of him, or of anything else. Her only desire was him. And only him. Seconds later, she felt his body thrusting against her. She gasped, clutching at his wool trench coat in, her head tilting back against the building, her mouth forming an O. She clutched at his hair as another thrust shoved roughly against her, taking her breath away. "Angel..."

Despite their clothing acting as barriers, it was as if she felt him penetrating her. He was not small, by any means, and it sent a shiver of pleasure deep in her bones. His erection was infectious. She heard him panting against her exposed throat, matting it with wetness, his tongue licking against it. "Was it good for you?" Angelus asked of her, his darkening eyes boring into her own, his lips hovering above hers.

Despite his intentions of playing her the fool, he couldn't deny the part of him that was desiring for her. It was difficult to resist the yearning. "Yes. More, dammit!" She demanded, her legs squeezing against his erected member. He gazed upon her in silence, then onto her moist neck. "Close your eyes," he gently ordered. She obeyed immediately.

Pushing the strands of blond hair onto the side, his fangs glistened under the darkness, to their full needled point, and sunk them deep into her throat, blood spilling in double trails until drops of it fell onto the concrete alley. She gasped. And then everything went dark.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes: Here's chapter seven. After reading this chapter, it's safe to say that this will become an ongoing story. There's a lot of really interesting ideas and plots that still need to be added in later chapters, so it's very possible this story might be longer than anticipated. I'm glad that the story is being enjoyed so far. There'll be another update soon. There's not much action here, but this chapter sets up the big events that might occur in later chapters. Enjoy!**

She felt numb. Everything she saw in front of her eyes resembled only glimpses of darkness. What was happening to her? She lost most of her mobility and the ability to shift her fingers, or her legs. It was as if she was paralyzed, immobile somehow. She was. She also felt as if all of her strength was draining from her body, leaving her weak and frail. She struggled to move her arm, noticing that it was heavily pressed by a somewhat cold body up against the building wall.

Despite her weakness, she managed to press her fingers against her neck, feeling a trail of wetness and sensitivity there; most importantly, she felt two puncture wounds, each stained with drying drops of her own spilled blood. "Angel!" Buffy whimpered with a harsh shriek, attempting to shove the person away from her, believing that it was a demon or another vampire looking to start a fight. She breathed heavily, feeling the last ounce of her Slayer power leaving her as her head lolled to the side, eyes threatening to close. She fell onto the ground with a thump.

"Angel, where are you?" She whispered, anger remotely laced in her voice before she succumbed to unconsciousness. She hadn't realized nor have known that Angel was by her side throughout the entire ordeal, watching her struggle with a smile of evil contempt that flitted his face.

Many hours had passed uneventfully, and the Slayer opened her eyes to see the sky twinkling with a massive amount of stars, the air cold and still. She knew immediately that she was still outside Willy's Bar, but had sensed that she was now alone. Angel himself was no where to be found. She didn't know whether to be thankful, or to feel irritated at the discovery.

"Ugh. Major migraine coming my way," she muttered, agitated as she picked herself up off from the ground, hands dusting off any remaining traces of vampire kill. Almost immediately she placed her hand on her still exposed neck, checking for any signs of the vampire that had bitten her.

She found nothing. The skin was translucent and warm, no single trace of a scar. She tried to remember the events of the last hour, but her mind was completely blank and distorted. She remembered nothing. Except for the numbness she felt between her legs.

She pondered for a second as to whether or not she was dreaming, but took a short glance towards her legs, finding that her black pants were put on in a hurried display, the zipper opened. She felt something wet dripping down her leg and knew instinctively as to what the liquid source was.

_What the hell just happened? Did I just have sex? We are so in trouble if I did. And there wasn't even any birth control! Gah. Can't even remember who bit me. Could be my imagination going crazy, yadda yadda. Was Angel the one who bit me? Could he be a………?_ she frantically thought, her chest heaving. Then a new panic unfolded in her stomach.

There was no question in the fact that she had no remembrance nor a single slant of memory as to who she had performed the intimate act with. Her night was turning into a complete disaster, and it was not even midnight. "Just great, Buffy. Just great. You fall for someone you barely don't even know and you had to had sex with a stranger without remembering who it was."

She had no time to dwell on the many questions that were forming in folds, nor the guilt that she suddenly felt as a sudden noise interrupted her thoughts. It was coming directly from the heavyset red crimson door that connected to Willy's. Someone was leaving the bar, heading toward the direction of the bewildered Slayer. "I didn't think he had it in 'im. Very gutsy of him, don't ya think Floyd?" a discreet, husky male voice spoke from the corner of the alley. He wasn't alone.

"I don't know what the hell he sees in her. Not exactly our type, ya know. Not like we want to have a queen to rule over us vamps. The King is bad enough as he is telling us what to do and how much we should kill and drink blood. Why the hell does he need her anyway? I don't git it."

Buffy's eyebrows rose to this bit of information, curiosity mixing in with weariness as she kept silent, quietly running to hide herself in the farthest corner from the approaching vampires. They walked under the light of the full moon; both extremely tall, pudgy vampire bikers dressed in a faux leather ensemble. Both of them radiated menace.

"Do we even know who this tramp could be? His new future wife? Didn't he had about five wives before he came here or somethin'?" The other biker vampire snorted the idea with disgust, popping a Marlboro cigarette into his thin-lipped mouth.

"Yeah, that's bout right, I think. Word in the shadows says that the King wants to git this wife and knock her up. Somethin' bout having a heir in case one of us decide to stake him with somethin' made of wood, heh. At least that's what Curtis says, but most vamps I talked to informed me that he wants a male heir in case if all the vamps and demons on the Hellmouth die out should that apocalypse be comin'. Been rumors spreading about for weeks now that another one was heading our way soon. Something about a birth triggering it. Vamps' been callin' it the End of Vampires. Some book mentioned that it could be the end for us, and sadly, the Slayer's part of this prophecy, but it's in a long lost medieval Latin code, so not even Walton could figure it out what it could mean. I mean seriously, the End of all Vampires? Shouldn't it'd be the other way around Floyd?" the vampire shook his head in mere disapproval, taking a swig of what seemed to be whiskey covered in a brown bag.

Warning signals alerted off in the Slayer's mind. A deep shiver coursed through her body, but still, she didn't dare to move an inch. For weeks now, the dreams she had had been warning her of something big about to transpire soon, that involved a vampire that she still yet couldn't identify, and a prophecy, even before she and her mother had moved to Sunnydale. "Freaky," she mumbled. She shook her head, pacing herself to keep still.

The cigarette vamp gave out a short bark that resembled both a laugh and a tinge of despair before his stern eye caught something glinting in the far left corner. A rat. "I reckon you have no idea who this new Queen might be?" the vampire called Floyd questioned, inhaling another puff of smoke. His fellow vampire friend turned towards him, eyes focusing, fangs glistening.

"Rumors been goin' about that our lovely King is going after the Slayer to be his lovey dovey. Messed up, ain't it? But can't say I don't support it. All that power the Slayer has, why let it go to waste? If it happens, maybe it could stop this apocalypse, she's part of it after all, but you know how these rumors are. Most of them are lies, so why even bother tryin' to figure it out?" Whiskey vampire shrugged, but couldn't shake the worry shown in his cold eyes.

"Maybe I can fix that," a voice said from behind. Buffy leap over discarded cardboard boxes, standing confidentially in front of the biker vampires, a steely, determined gaze flitting her eyes. She smiled. She was ready to pummel the bloodsuckers into dusted submission. It woudld at least, take off the stress of tonight.

Hours later.....

"What a waste of a good jacket. Mom is so gonna kill me when she sees it covered with those big, blotchy stains," Buffy sighed. She was now standing in front of her porch, legs still struggling to stand on their own, feverishly searching for her keys, relieved that the biker vamps had been dusted into oblivion. She snatched the jingling pair from her jacket pocket, inserting them into the lock when she felt a hand brushing against her shoulder.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I am so so so sorry for the lack of any updates. For anyone who's following my stories, I have three that I'm currently working on, which is why there hasn't been any updates for this story in a while, so tonight I decided to change all that. I hope you guys enjoy. There will be another update soon. **

Instinctively, she elbowed the person in the face, accidentally and suddenly realizing out of sheer embarrassment that it was only her mother, hands both full with a bag of groceries that were spilling onto the porch. "Mom! Sorry! Didn't mean to hit you. I didn't know you went food shopping," Buffy cowered her head sheepishly, running up to make sure her mother's nose wasn't bleeding or broken. It's alright Buffy, but what's gotten into you? Are you okay?" Joyce only said, pressing her hand against her nostrils, but no trails of blood were leaking.

The bone structure nor the cartilage was broken, just bruised. Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. She looked down upon her clothes, realizing that pieces of cloth were missing and shredded. She blew tendrils of hair away from her face, before tucking a strand behind her ear nervously.

She was hesitant before she opened her mouth to answer. "I'm alright Mom. Just a little trouble, no big deal." She turned to undo the lock, pushing the door ajar to allow her mother in. Her mother turned to peer at her, a disconcerting look appearing in her eyes. "Are you sure everything's okay Buffy? I feel like there's something you might want to talk about. Any boy trouble I should know about? Anything at all? You know you can always talk to me if something's bothering you."

Buffy's eyes widened at the question. It was obvious the answer was no. Or was it? She couldn't pinpoint the problem exactly. "Boy trouble? What do you mean Mom? I have _none _whatsoever. Really. Just a bit of a crush on someone, that's all." She plastered a false grin on her face, revealing a set of teeth in the process. Her mother simply nodded, satisfied with her answer, at least for the time being. Buffy released another deep sigh of relief before turning to exit out to retrieve the fallen groceries.

Immediately she sensed a presence nearby. She rolled her eyes in annoyance, shuffling for the stake underneath her pant leg. Legs still weak from the earlier event, she leaned against the front door to stand, eying both sides of the house for any signs of an intruder.

All she heard in the next few minutes were shrill cries of help coming from the next door neighbor's house or the few houses down the block. She detected a slim shadow leaping over a fence, attempting to run from something or someone that may have been after them. Under the streetlight, a girl no older than Buffy appeared, long chestnut hair matted to her face, tears trickling down her flushed cheeks onto her chin.

Buffy noticed quickly from a small distance that two deep punctured holes were exposed from her neck, a trail of blood seeping from the wounds. A few drops of blood spilled onto her velvet cashmere sweater as she stumbled through the sidewalk with weakening strength. The girl's outfit, much like Buffy's, was also slashed, most noticeably from between the leg area.

Buffy shook her head. It couldn't be a coincidence. Somehow, this girl was another victim of a vampire attack, the very same one that had gotten the Slayer. She was sure of it. "Someone, please help me. I've been attacked!" The girl cried in earnest, clutching at her neck, almost stumbling over a pile of metal trash cans that stood rooted at the edge of the sidewalk.

"Over here! Let me help you," Buffy ran towards the girl, offering to help her stand. She folded her arm underneath the girl's, supporting her weight when she sensed another presence nearby, this time the sounds of a vampire growling just mere feet away from where they stood. "Just great," Buffy muttered, hurrying the girl along when she felt something heavy attacking her from behind, releasing her grip.

Buffy stumbled onto the street, chin and cheek matted with a fresh coat of blood from a newly formed gash. She held the grip on the stake tightly when she felt a hand wrapping around her throat, constricting her breathing. "Slayerrrr," the vampire hissed with its' foul mouth, causing the Slayer to almost gag.

"Breath mints. Get some," the Slayer slammed her elbow onto the vampire's face, knocking its' weight and body away from her. She flipped to her knees, one knee bent before standing, quickly connecting her foot against the vampire's grotesque face, not giving him time to recover from the attack. She gave the girl one look to assure that no harm came to her before she regain her stance on the feral vampire with a few thrown punches and mirror palm blocks, sending him reeling against the metal trash cans. He growled in frustration and pain.

Buffy wasted no time as she hurried to plunge the stake into his undead heart. In seconds, he was dust. The girl standing a few feet in front of her gasped, clamping her mouth in sincere horror. "How did you do that? What was that guy?"

Buffy exasperated a sigh. "Doesn't matter. You're safe now. C'mon, let's get you inside. We need to clean that wound. At least you'll be safe and taken care of," she offered gently, taking the girl's arm to lead her inside the house. The girl looked at her, mouth agape. "Who are you? I'm sorry, I shouldn't be really saying that should I? Given that you saved my life and all, from that thing. Whatever it was," she muted softly, shame laced in her voice.

"It's okay, really. I'm just glad I got to you in time. Got any idea as to who could have done this to you?" For the Slayer, now was the time for answers. The girl shook her head before pondering her answer as they entered the house, heading towards the kitchen. "I don't remember, exactly, just some of it. I was at The Bronze, waiting for a friend to arrive. I was sitting next to the concession stand, waiting for her when this man came up to me, asking if he could dance with me. At first I thought it was weird, this strange man asking me out of nowhere."

Buffy nodded as she forced the girl to sit on the kitchen table while searching for the first aid kit in the cupboards. She nodded for her to continue. "Then what happened?"

"Well, this man asked me to dance with him, like I said, and for a second, I didn't want to, but at the last minute I said yes. I mean, why wouldn't I? Besides the weirdness. He was incredibly handsome. Tall, dark haired, dressed all in black. All the girls in line at The Bronze was crazy jealous when he took my hand to the dance floor."

Alarm bells rang off in the Slayer's mind._ No it couldn't be...could it?_

"Did this man give you his name?" Buffy interrogated, cocking an eyebrow. The girl thought for a second before she answered.

"Yeah, I think he did. He said his name was Angel."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes: Here it is at last guys, chapter nine. I haven't updated in a few weeks, so please forgive me, I might be a little rusty when it comes to this story. If there's any corrections that need to be made, please let me know. The plot is only beginning to thicken a bit more. The girl I added to this chapter and the previous one, she's a bit hyper, so I hope you don't mind, as I intended for her to be that way, though I'm starting to be a bit fond of her already, ha! Anyways, enjoy! Next chapter will be posted soon.  
**

With a porcelain mug held tightly in both hands, Buffy almost felt tempted to let it scatter on the floor. She felt her heart constricting, as if it were being squeezed by a vice to an unbearable level.

For a moment, she lost all thought, all composure, her mind scrambling to accept the girl's answer. She took a quick intake of breath, mouth opening in order to continue questioning her. "Are you sure it was Angel? Not someone who looks like him?"

The girl nodded without hesitation, her chin firmed. "Yeah, I'm absolutely positive that it was him. I've lived here for so long, there's not that many men who look good as much as Angel did, so he stood out. Why? Is something wrong?"

Buffy shook her head, flashing a tiny smile. "No, no, everything's fine. So what happened after the dance?"

"Well, after when we were finished, he invited me to come over to his house, saying that he was throwing a party to celebrate his new job position or something. I wanted to go with him at first, but him being someone I barely knew, I turned down his invitation. For a minute I thought he looked angry, but I think that was just my imagination; I was probably seeing things. I had a couple of drinks that night, even though I'm underage, so I wasn't entirely sober and completely sure about what I saw. He offered to walk me home, but I refused, so I politely turned him down.

I grabbed my purse, thanked him for the dance, and headed on home. I was some blocks away when I felt someone following me, but I couldn't be sure at first, as I wasn't the only one venturing the sidewalks. A few couples strolling with their dogs were there too, even though it was late. Anyways, I turned around to see who might had been following me, but it was too dark to see anything. There's not a lot of streetlights working properly in the part of town I was walking through, so I was a bit worried that something was gonna happen to me."

The girl winced in thought, hesitating before continuing. "I was about a few blocks away from my house when I heard these heavy footsteps just a few feet behind me. I knew right away that it was a man. I turned my head around and saw this tall, skinny guy dressed entirely in black, wearing a black cap; I couldn't see his face at first, it was mostly covered in shadow."

Buffy encouraged her to go on, pouring warm milk and chocolate mix into the mug, stirring the concoction. "Was this the guy who attacked you?"

The girl lowered her head. "Yes. When he tried to grab me, I finally saw his face, and it wasn't a normal human face. He had these fangs; they were really sharp, almost passing his chin, and he was growling, like an animal. He had this hungry look in his eyes, and I could tell that he wanted to hurt me. He was so strong, I couldn't even defend myself against him. I had some mace spray in my purse, but I couldn't reach for it. He had both of his hands on my arms, squeezing so tight that I felt that they were gonna go numb."

Placing the mug gingerly on the table, Buffy pulled up a chair and sat in front of the girl, eyes focusing. "So tell me, do you have any idea what this man looks like?"

The girl pondered in thought. "I sure do. He looked pretty old, like he was in his forties. Chiseled cheekbones, pretty scrawny frame, bleached blond hair slicked back, strong nose. He had a British accent."

Buffy nodded at this, Slayer senses already prickling, sending signals throughout her body at the familiar description. "He didn't give you a name or anything?"

"He said his name was William. Now that you mentioned it, he also mentioned about taking me to a place where other girls were staying at, and locking us up until we were all ready. I have no idea what he meant by that."

Goosebumps developed on the Slayer's skin. She knew she was about to discover something huge in the horizon. "You mean, like he was seriously plotting a kidnapping, that sort of thing?"

"I think so. He muttered something about a basement in some mansion outside Sunnydale where there's forty or fifty girls being locked up for some important event. I thought he was on drugs, you know, hallucinating or getting high on them, but I could tell he was deadly serious. He mentioned something about a blood feast, whatever the hell that is, and that some Master of his wanted to gather all the young women in Sunnydale and put them in some room to find the one who might be pregnant with his kid because apparently, he can't find her, which is really disturbing if you ask me, considering that whoever this Master guy is, he tried to impregnate me, but he didn't ejaculate, said I wasn't the one who deserved to be his queen or have his kid, some bull like that. Who the hell would wanna do such a crazy thing anyway? I mean, I get it that there's been some really weird things going on lately, but this takes the cake to the ultra extreme." The girl shuddered.

For a moment, Buffy was speechless, recalling the memory is which she was laid against Willy's Bar, pants dragged to her knees. _Oh boy, we got a problem on our hands. Could it be this Master is looking for me?…..Could I be the one carrying his unborn baby? I went through this already, didn't I? Okay, for one thing, I'm still too damn young to be a mom, hello. Second, why the hell would he want me? To be this apparent queen? Third, my brain is screaming that this Master is Angel. Things are starting to add up, even if I don't want them to. Why did I have to like him? This denial thing, it sucks. And to think, he doesn't even know who I am, or that I'm the Slayer. _

"Did this William say anything else?" Buffy questioned, opening the first aid kit, applying a gauge and ointment to the girl's neck and thighs, cleaning the wounds.

"He said that if he didn't find the knocked up girl in time, he and his Master were planning on killing and draining the girls that were trapped in the basement, and that they're planning on giving the leftovers to their friends. If I hadn't known any better, I'd say he and his buddies are vampires." The girl's eyes widened in fear, mouth agape.

Buffy couldn't decide whether or not to inform the girl of the truth about the town they resided in. She sighed, conflicted about her decision. "For one thing, you're lucky you even survived. Second, you're right; weird things have been happening in this town for a long time, only the people, the police, and pretty much everyone else keeps denying it. They keep blaming the street gangs for it all. Third, you were right, they are vampires."

Buffy stopped, accessing the girl's facial movements. "You mean, it's true? Vampires do exist?"

"Yeah. And it's my duty to stop them. I'm a vampire Slayer, I slay vampires. And tonight, I saved you from the fate of you becoming one of them."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Mucho gracias guys for the reviews. I'm happy that you're enjoying my story so far. I'm having a lot of fun writing it as a matter of fact. There will be lots more upcoming B/A interaction, which means the next chapters will also be a bit longer. Chapter 11 will be posted soon. I've also added a reference to the Buffy movie as well, hehe. Enjoy!**

"Wait, so you're like one of those vampire hunters they play in the movies? Like what Kristy Swanson played in that horrible _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ movie?" The girl questioned in wonderment. Buffy reluctantly nodded, but had difficulty processing a grin. " Don't make fun! We share the same name, but technically, yeah. Like the original Buffy, I didn't choose this gig. It chose me. I can't even quit because the pay's so low. That's how bad things are out there. They've been that way for a long time now. Even before I moved here."

"So, what are you gonna do now? I mean, don't think I'm ungrateful, because it's totally the opposite and I'm thankful you saved me, but what next? All these girls might be getting hurt, and nobody's doing anything. Not even the police are helping." The girl slightly tensed her shoulders, her hands folding nervously, her lips developing into a worried pout.

"What do you mean the police aren't helping? Doesn't anybody know about what's been going on? I mean, if it's all true?" Buffy's mouth was agape, attempting to steady herself against the chair.

"Not really. Police think it's gangs that are taking these girls. There hasn't even been any articles mentioning anything about the kidnappings since all of this started. It's like the town is ignoring it on purpose. I found out about it from one of the workers at The Bronze earlier tonight. As a matter of fact, she told me about it right before Angel had showed up."

A shiver coursed through the Slayer's spine, uneasiness settling in. She didn't like where the conversation was heading. _As if things weren't bad enough already. _

"I see. Did this worker tell you anything else?"

The girl pondered for a second. "She did tell me that Angel had arrived at The Bronze more than once tonight. Seems he was there with another girl a couple of hours before I showed up. The last I was told was that the girl he was with had went outside with him for a quick make out session, and that when he came back inside, she never returned. It was like she disappeared into thin air."

Another shiver surmised. _I have a total bad feeling about this. Well, okay, even worse than before. _"Okay, then. After everything you just told me, it looks like I'm gonna go scope out The Bronze and ask if anyone knows anything more, because obviously, something needs to be done here, and I'm the only one who can stop this." Buffy stood to her feet.

"Are you crazy? What if Angel knows you're there asking questions?" The girl was worried. "Don't worry. He doesn't even know what I do. As far as I know, he only knows that I'm a normal girl, and not someone with super powers. But I can't risk it for you to come. It's too dangerous. I should probably walk you home as a matter of fact. It's getting late," Buffy offered, gathering her leather jacket and stake from a well hidden area under the kitchen counter.

"Why not? At least let me come with you. I was almost vampire dinner tonight. I deserve to get some revenge, don't you think?" The girl insisted, scurrying to her feet, her amber eyes pleading.

Buffy shook her head. "I can't do that. Going up against these vamps is much too dangerous for you, you could put your life at risk. You need to learn how to protect yourself, and I can't do that and watch you in case if The Bronze is swarmed with them." Buffy pulled on her jacket, inserting the stake into the inner pocket.

"Oh c'mon, it can't be that bad. At least, if the girls being kidnapped are true, they're gonna be too busy with them to even come to The Bronze, especially if they have a big appetite and can't wait that long to start sucking their blood."

At this, Buffy had to admit that what the girl had said was hitting close to being right. "Okay, you can come with me. But keep this with you just in case if there's trouble. You'll need it." Buffy ventured to the nearest closet, opening it to reveal a hidden shelf, occupied with various stakes and crosses as she offered one to the girl.

"Keep this inside your jacket. You don't want to show those off in case if there's any vampires inside the club. Sometimes it's hard to tell who is who. They tend to blend in at times and act just like regular people."

The girl nodded. "You sure you want to do this? You can go home if you like. It's not a problem," Buffy queried. "I'm sure. By the way, I didn't catch your name."

Buffy allowed a snort before answering. "It's Buffy."

"The name's Clarice. I know it's a stupid name, but that's what my parents gave me, so I'm stuck with it. Forever." She rolled her eyes.

Buffy gave another laugh, then spun to exit the house through the kitchen door. "Okay. Ready?"

Clarice nodded with assurance. "Ready."

"Let's go."

~~~~/////

It was close to two in the morning. Despite the fact that dawn was about to rise in a few hours, it didn't stop Buffy and her newly discovered friend from entering The Bronze, which was oddly opened, despite the late night hour.

"I thought The Bronze closed early. Why is it still open?" Buffy whispered, peering at Clarice. She shrugged her shoulders, a baffled look flitting her face. "Tonight was the grand reopening, so they wanted to keep the place open late. They've been doing some remodeling over the past month or so."

"It sure looks a bit quiet, for an open place. Stay close to me, and keep quiet. We don't want to bring attention to ourselves," the Slayer ordered, creping against the building, boots tapping lightly on the cement pavement.

"No problem. Should we enter through the front door? It looks like no one's there, except the bouncer."

"Good idea. Got your stake?"

"In my coat pocket."

"Good. Let's get to it. Ready. Set. Go."

Both girls trotted towards the entrance of The Bronze, arms pumping at their sides as they steered to the left. Immediately upon Buffy's vision, she witnessed the bouncer laying motionlessly against the door, head lolling to the side, his thick neck revealing two puncture wounds, stained with dried blood.

Clarice let out a gasp, hand clamping her mouth. "Is he dead?"

Buffy nodded sternly. "Yeah, he's dead. Too late to help him. Damnit."

"Is he gonna turn into a vampire?"

"No, I don't think so. He's fully drained, and it looks like he hasn't had any of their blood. We better get inside, we don't know what could be lurking out here."

"Good idea." Cautiously, they trotted past the entrance, entering the club, both pairs of eyes scanning their surroundings. "Seems like everything is normal. Just your normal drinking, dancing, and people talking. I don't think they even noticed the dead bouncer outside," Clarice announced.

"That's how much people here are oblivious to the unusual. It's a pain in the ass sometimes when you're one of the few ones who knows what's going on," Buffy huffed, eyes preening through the darkness.

"Should we start asking people about the girls?" Clarice took a step forward. " I say we should start with the coffee attendant over there. Seems like she might know something," Buffy suggested, pulling at Clarice's hand as they made their way over to the convenience stand, pushing swaying bodies aside.

"Wait, it looks like we might not have to. Angel's here, over by the corner, with a blond girl in a silver halter top and black pants." Clarice pointed to the nearest right hand corner. Close to the concert stage, Angel leaned against the wall, casually enjoying his female company, with what appeared to be a wine glass held in his hand. The liquid was dark red.

Slayer senses tingling all over, Buffy turned towards Clarice. "I want you to stay here. I'm gonna go check on things."

"You're gonna go after Angel, aren't you?"

"That I am. I'm well equipped though. Don't you worry. Stay in an area where you're not alone. Vampires tend to prey on the lonely and vulnerable." Clarice nodded, taking two steps back.

"Here, kitty kitty kitty kitty," Buffy muted, stalking towards the stage when she noticed both Angel and his female companion leaving towards the nearest exit, his hand gingerly placed on her lower back. Buffy knew one thing was about to transpire: Trouble.

Pulling the stake from the inner pocket, she made her way towards the side exit door, entering into the darkened alley that connected to the club and train tracks. Angel and his escort were no longer there.

"Just when I had him too," Buffy scowled when her ears picked up a sound that sounded remotely like a shrill yelp near the far corner dumpster.

Quickening her pace, she trudged towards the dumpster, when Angel's appearance sidestepped in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. She noticed blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, fangs glistening, eyes blazing a golden hue.

_So it's true. I can't believe it....._

"Buffy," Angel whispered, his expression one of shock, and a faint trace of hurt.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes: Thank you guys again for the awesome reviews, alerts, etc, etc. It's been a joy writing this story. I can't believe that I started writing it last November. Anyways, after this chapter, there is probably going to be one more left, as I want to finally put this story to rest, and move on to finishing up my other unfinished stories. **

**The next chapter I will be taking my time to process the events and make sure the chapter goes smoothly and thoroughly, and because of that, it will be much longer when it's completed. This is probably not my best chapter, but I hope you guys enjoy it. As far as Angel behaving in this chapter, I think deep inside he loves Buffy, but being a vampire, that trait is dominated by his need of having her as just his in order to procreate and continue his line. In this chapter, the love he feels for her, and his need are soon going to clash against one another. Enjoy!**

Chapter Eleven

"Having a little midnight snack to curb your thirst o' Angel of the Night?" Buffy announced her presence, arms crossing her chest in consternation. "What are you doing here?" Angel ignored her question, tossing the half-naked corpse aside with negligence as he lapped droplets of blood from his fingers.

"Oh, I don't know, patrolling maybe? It's what one does when one has a job fighting against vampires and demons, which counts, I don't know, you. In case you haven't noticed, I'm the Sheriff around these parts; the Chosen One, Slayer comma the. No bloodsucking vamp goes around my town biting people without having a stake shoved in their chests."

Angel's expression took on a bewildered look. "The Slayer you say? Impossible. You're too puny to be the Slayer."

Buffy rolled her eyes at Angel's naivety. _Who does he think he is?_ "Sure I can. One girl in all the world, with the strength and skill to combat the forces of darkness. That's me in a nutshell. Now, are you gonna try to stop me, or do I have to go over there and stake you myself? It makes it easier if I did just that, you know."

"Why would I do such a thing? You are destined to be my Queen, my bride. I could never hurt you," he remarked sternly, taking a step forward, arms reaching out in a forcible attempt to embrace her into his body. Buffy took a step back, revulsion and another emotion reeling her in. She couldn't deny that the attraction she felt for him was still there, in spite of her disgust.

"Queen? Wife? What've you been smoking buddy? Do I look like a Queen slash wife to you?" She quipped, hands at her sides. "Why would you deny me when I have finally found you? You cannot deny that you're developing feelings for me, can you? I can feel your attraction radiating in strong waves," Angel mused.

A tinge of crimson flushed the Slayer's face, turning her gaze to avoid his deepening eyes, her lips forming into a tight line. "That might have been true, once, or maybe even now, but it's not gonna stop me from staking you. You hurt those girls, and I swear I will kill you," she warned hotly, raising her fists in a fighting stance.

"I have no intentions of hurting you Buffy. I've waited far too long to have the rightful Queen at my side, and now it is the time to claim you as mine. Come to me. Do as I say, and I will be your slave forever," he cajoled in a voice as smooth as silk.

Buffy could feel her resolve wavering at the tempting offer. She took a step forward, eyes peering into his dark hypnotic gaze. "That's right, my love. Come to me. I can give you anything you want."

Buffy abruptly stopped in her tracks, shaking her head, breaking the spell. "Anything? _Anything? _What would I want? Perhaps a nice car will do. Not," she snorted. "And why can I not? I presume you're carrying my child, our child; I should be entitled to give you anything as I please." At this Angel flashed a devilish, knowing grin at the revelation that rattled the Slayer to her bones.

"A child? What the hell are you talking about?" Buffy scoffed, inching away, her back against a chain link fence.

"You don't remember? Who do you think was the one who fornicated with you outside Willy's Bar? I happen to recall that you seem to respond well to our little tryst," Angel continued in an arrogant fashion, flashing his perfect set of teeth, licking away the last trace of blood from his lips hungrily.

"No. It can't be," Buffy muttered, shock giving way to fear, then reluctant acceptance as the turn of unresolved events were spinning in her head, connecting as if they were the last missing pieces of the puzzle. _It makes sense. Even if I didn't want it to. Even if I don't want it to. _

"I'm afraid so, my dear. You have the been the one I've been searching for almost one thousand years, and counting. To think, I was feeling that I would never find you, at least not in this Podunk town you call home. I can sense the child growing inside you, awaiting its' arrival into the world."

Buffy fell to her knees, shutting her eyes to a gleeful Angel who was hovering close to her. "Even if I was pregnant, even if I _am_ in love with you, I am not gonna let you kill those girls. You will be stopped. And I will not be your Queen." She gritted her teeth, pulling herself to her feet with her stake held in place as she tackled towards him, her head connecting against his stomach, her fingers digging into his arms.

They toppled towards a pile of metal trash cans, clashing against one another as piles upon piles of fast food wrappings and Styrofoam cups laid noisily strewn on the concrete walkway.

A kick to his shins prevented him from connecting a fist to her face. _So much for the loving me treatment. Liar. I should have known all along. _

A growl emanated from deep within her chest as she connected her fist to his lower jaw, sending him reeling with the strength of her bare knuckles.

"Impressive, but you are no match for me," Angel sneered, circling his arms around her waist, tossing her body to the bottom of the trash heap, his own laying on top of her, constricting her breathing.

"Was it good for you too?" He smiled, wrapping his hands around her throat, his thumb pressing against her larynx.

"Get….off….of….me…," She snarled, arms thrashing against her sides, the scent of garbage assaulting her nostrils.

"Not until I get my kiss," Angel cooed, puckering his lips as he pressed them gently against hers, tongue lashing, intertwining for dominance, taking her by surprise.

All sense of fighting and rebelling left the bodies of both Slayer and ancient vampire, leaving them only with the boiling emotions of longing, confusion, and desire behind.

_How the hell did this go from kicking his ass, to wanting to kiss him, to him kissing me in less than five minutes? _Buffy's mind was irrational with the thought.

"What are you doing?" She asked softly, eyes boring holes into his chocolate orbs that were gentle at the moment. "Frankly, I have no idea. I had wanted to do that since the first moment we met. Ever since then, I couldn't stop thinking about you. That is all I know," Angel answered hoarsely, placing his hand against her cheek, cupping it tenderly, as if they were mere lovers, not mortal enemies.

A/N: I know I know, the ending was a bit unexpected, right? Even so, I had wanted to stop it there in order to set up the events for the final chapter, and to make it that Angel and Buffy are not only enemies, but also something a bit more difficult for them to comprehend. With the final chapter, I will take some time writing it thoroughly and making sure that all plotlines within the story get resolved smoothly as best as I can. All feedback and questions are welcome always.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked meekly, her brightening eyes interlocking with Angel's amazed orbs, her face stern. "Oh, you mean this?" He remarked, taking his time to caress her flushed cheek a second time, sending probing shivers throughout her body.

"This is wrong. We shouldn't be doing this." She burrowed her hands against his chest, pushing him off of her body to further her response.

Flicking away Styrofoam cups and containers aside, she pushed herself to her feet, smoothing her hair, backing away from him, his expression one of wonder, confusion and a trace of anger intermixed together.

"Are you denying me?" he questioned, his lips tight, his eyes blazing. "You bet your ass I am. Feelings aside, I have to save those girls. It's my duty, and you're not gonna stop me. I'll kill you if I have to."

"Not if I tell you where they are, which I will not," he grimly smirked, circling her as if he was predator and she was the prey. She didn't take her eyes off of him.

She copied his movements exactly, never missing a stride or a beat. "You think I will fight you? I would never hurt my future queen," he bowed elegantly.

"Can you please stop calling me that? I'm not the queen. I'm the Slayer, and I have no problems in beating you to the ground even if you weirdly don't condone violence," she scowled.

Taking his hesitation as confirmation, she crouched to her knees, hitting close to the alleyway as she tackled his body against the chain link fence using his legs, her head pressing against his abdomen, then against his ribcage, her hold almost strong enough to bruise the lower stomach area as she mustered her strength to force him onto the concrete pathway.

In seconds, she was holding air, then her body slammed itself against the fence, and she let out a loud 'oof' in the process, realizing that he had vanished.

"Where did you go now?" She muttered irritably, obtaining a sense of humiliation as she released her hold on the fence, her eyes scanning the alley for any sign of him. She was alone, the only sounds remaining were the cackling of dead leaves.

"Someplace where I will be waiting for you, my love. Near the mansion, with the girls, if you can find them. But you must hurry, as you only have less than two hours to rescue them, otherwise they will all become my minions for eternity." His voice etched close to her right ear, raising goose bumps down the back of her neck before vanishing, her eyes widening.

She knew immediately that the search for the missing girls had to begin. She spun back towards the entrance of The Bronze, shoving patrons and other attendants aside carelessly, scanning for Clarice. She walked up towards the coffee attendant, her panic rising as there were no signs of her new acquaintance anywhere within the precinct of the smoke induced club.

"Excuse me, have you seen a girl, somewhat tall, skinny, with long dark brown hair? She was with me earlier tonight." The coffee attendant nodded, shaking maroon bangs off her slim face. "Yeah, she was just here as a matter of fact, but some tall, really hot looking guy came in and took her away, from the looks of it."

Buffy felt as if her chest was about to constrict, until she heard Angel's own voice one again, this time in her mind. "All alone now, aren't we Slayer? If you do not make it in time, perhaps your friend will become my queen instead. Hurry, timing is of the essence." His taunting voice disappeared, leaving Buffy to her devices. "Thank you," she mumbled quickly to the coffee attendant, before exiting through the front entrance, the early rays of dawn rising in the sky, signaling that the sun would soon be arriving.

"Damn, what to do?" Buffy queried, until she noticed in the corner of her eye three women huddled together near the entrance of the club, all dressed in party attire, which consisted of cocktail dresses in various colors and four inch heels.

Intuition told the Slayer to seek out information from the trio. She trotted towards them, the time limit weighing heavily in the back of her mind.

"Hey, did you hear about the girl that disappeared earlier tonight?" One of them asked the other, with an expression full of worry and apprehension. "I did. What's her name? Molly Sanders? I heard the cops said that she disappeared while she was shopping at the Galleria; that not one person saw who took her. Hell, the store was crowded and no one even noticed the guy in the leather jacket who was talking to her. Can you believe that crap? People these days." A tall partier in a red cocktail dress complete with a Jersey accent shook her head in sympathy and horror.

"Not hard to believe Angela. The cops haven't done a thing since all this started happening. It's weird how it all started when those two weird guys moved here. One of them is a complete hunk, but he creeps me out," a much shorter partier in a velvet cocktail dress cajoled, then shuddered, shaking her blonde curls furiously.

"Excuse me, guys, I couldn't help but overhear what you were talking about. A friend of mine disappeared earlier tonight and I'm trying to look for her. Do you mind helping me out with where I might be able to find her and the rest of the girls?" Buffy questioned, keeping her voice calm and sociable.

The three women peered at each other, before the Jersey woman nodded reluctantly. "Sure. What do you need to know?"

"Did any one of you guys see a tall man, dark hair, handsome, with a friend of his with bleach blond hair and leather jacket earlier tonight, inside The Bronze?"

"I did," the woman with the blonde curls responded with a trace of fear in her voice, approaching the Slayer. "The other two girls, they were in the bar across the street over there and I was standing here outside, waiting for them to arrive. I saw the two men going inside; they looked like they were trying to score, if you know what I mean. They were looking at all the girls like they were pieces of meat or something. I wasn't completely sure why, I sensed something was off about them, but I couldn't tell if it was because they were giving off creepy vibes or the fact that they looked like they had fangs coming out of their mouth. I thought I was seeing things."

"Anyways, next thing you know I saw the bleached one leaving the club with one of the girls who was dancing at the time; she didn't look like she was against leaving The Bronze from the way she was looking at him. Then the tall, cute man went outside with one of the others. I think it was a friend of yours; I remember seeing her with you earlier, but I was too scared to do anything because of that expression on his face as soon as he walked out of the club. It scared the hell outta me. I'm really sorry."

Buffy sighed, then nodded her head, encouraging her to continue. "So what happened next, do you know?" The three women each took glances at one another, before the woman in average height wearing a black cocktail dress spoke up. "I'm sure the employees inside must've told you already: the girls pretty much disappeared, they haven't been back since, but I hear a few rumors going around that they're being holed up near a mansion somewhere in the outskirts of the city; I think right next to, what's that cemetery's name? Rosedale or something along those lines. You might be able to find them there. The police aren't helping a damn bit, so it's good to see someone out there actually caring and is doing something about it. We were this close to being nabbed ourselves, but we managed to stay out of trouble just in the nick of time."

"Do us a favor: get the bastards, will you? We don't need them scaring this town anymore than usual," the Jersey woman muted, clutching Buffy's slim arm for a moment before letting it drop.

"No problem. And thanks for your help guys. Stay safe." At this, Buffy flashed a genuine, reassuring smile, turning to head past the alleyway and into a mostly undiscovered tunnel that lead to Rosedale cemetery as the rays of light finally surfaced to the sky.

~~~~/

The fowl scent of disposable garbage and various other materials assaulted the Slayer's nose, her stomach close to reeling over. She let it slide as droplets of rain from the sewers fell into puddles of thick mud and water. She reached the slick ladder that lead to the center of the cemetery, climbing up as she reached the lid, opening it and tossing it aside as she reached the surface.

A decomposed body of a racoon welcomed the Slayer into the middle of a row of desolated crypts. "So disgusting," she miffed in revulsion, wrapping a hand against her abdomen. A slight tingle developed in the back of her mind. She wasn't alone. She pulled a stake from her back pocket, eyes scanning for any opposable presence that might be lurking.

"Who's there?" She called.

"Me, my love. I'm quite surprised you have made it here so quickly," Angel announced, but his presence was nowhere to be seen. He remained in what little shadow was left in the obsolete cemetery. A breeze wafted in the air, branches cackling loudly in the distance.

"Tell me where the girls are," the Slayer demanded, her body tense with alert and readiness. "Why would I do such a thing? Don't you think we should get to know each other a bit better first?" Angel replied coyly. Buffy snorted. "Show yourself, will you? I have no time for games."

"My, aren't we feisty? Of course, I obey, my queen." With those words, he appeared directly in front of the Slayer, looking more dashing and handsome than ever in a velvet tuxedo suit as he was close enough to take her breath away. She forced herself to keep her composure, balling her fists. Now was not the time to falter when innocent lives were at stake.

"Look at me. Look into my eyes," he purred seductively, placing a finger gently underneath her chin, tilting her head. "No." Buffy shook her head, lowering her eyes to avoid his gaze, her eyes looking anywhere but into his own mesmerizing orbs.

"Why fight it? I can give you anything you want, anything that you desire, including a life of normality. It is what you want, correct? I can give you that, and much more."

In spite of her strengthening resolve, she was tempted by his offer. "You can…give me a normal life? Impossible. I could never have one." She lowered her head, shutting her eyes.

"Nothing is impossible, my love, including my ability to walk into the sunlight. Nothing is out of reach as long as you and I are together. And with our child." He pressed his hand against her seemingly growing belly. In the blink of an eye, the Slayer had almost forgotten about the growing fetus inside of her. Or so she had wanted him to believe. "Kids? Get real. Kids are not in my future, buddy. Not as long as I'm here battling the forces of evil," Buffy mimicked Giles' voice.

All traces of coyness were now swept off of Angel's newly scowled face. "How dare you," he seethed, his teeth clenching, his fangs now drawing to his chin.

"Release the girls, or I will kill you. All your dreams of us being together will never happen. Or better yet, I will stake your _child._"

She pointed the weapon towards her stomach. "You would not do such a thing," Angel's voice was laced with a edge that sent Buffy's heart pacing with trepidation.

"Watch me," she bluffed. Within a matter of minutes and silent contemplation, a decision was made. "Very well," Angel's expression was still one of scowl and contempt, his eyes never leaving Buffy's.

With a snap of his fingers, each crypt that were aligned in single rows transformed into a spikeless Iron Maiden; each of them holding a missing girl in strict confinement.

At the very end was Clarice, gawking at Buffy with surprise, tears and relief pooling in the corners of her eyes. Buffy nodded towards her, assuring her that she was here.

"Happy, now?" Angel bristled. "Almost. But there's another thing: I'm not pregnant," Buffy announced coolly, tugging her hand underneath her light t-shirt to reveal a pillow filled with small cushions and under linings.

"What is this? A trick? Have you fooled me into believing you were carrying my heir?" Angel was taken back, his eyes startled by her revelation, his lips setting into a dangerous line. "Technically. Do you honestly believe that I would let myself get knocked up, even if I couldn't remember at first? You can thank birth control for that. I've been using it for a few months now. I knew that talking about the kid would be your biggest weakness. And second-"

She sprinted towards him, clenching her fist tightly to throw a punch underneath his chin, connecting with his teeth and fangs, his head lolling to the side. "That's for terrorizing these girls and manipulating them. And third, well, your friend William there, he's pretty much dead. Ashes to ashes; not a pretty sight I must say."

The Slayer pointed to a pile of ashes and a leather jacket that was matted over a grassy knoll near the first crypt, signaling his remains. "How did you?-" Angel demanded, his chin now coated with a thin line of blood.

"I'm surprised by how naïve you are when it comes to the power of the Slayer, Angelus. Thankfully, I'm familiar with the mansion, which is abandoned by the way, and Rosedale, so I knew my way around, I just pretended to not know about it. I've set a trap for your hobgoblin that no one knew about; it was a sad thing, really. He didn't notice that I had it laid out only for him until possibly last night. I knew he wasn't gonna get away that easily as soon as he was caught. I was sure of it, which is why I hadn't bothered returning to check on him. I knew he was gonna be dusted. And now, you're next."

With her hand raised high, Buffy plunged the stake thoroughly through Angel's heart, making sure that it penetrated all the way through the seams and back, trails of blood exploding and pouring from underneath the heart valve.

Angel glanced down, a deepening frown setting in his features, with a faint trace of sadness and loss intertwined as he collapsed to the floor. "You'll…regret this," he whispered, his voice faltering completely. His body, once beautiful and stealthy, was now no more than a pile of bones, or so that was what Buffy had believed at first.

"The End of Days is not gonna happen now, not to mention that Queen thing. Ugh. Can't these vamps come up with something more original?" She mumbled indifferently. "Are you guys alright?"

All twenty four girls nodded their heads in a resolute yes. Ripping the straps of metal that were constricting their ribcage, the Slayer pulled them free, each girl expressing their gratitude and relief, throwing their arms around the Slayer in fierce hugs before turning to leave. "Guys, you can take the path down there through the cemetery's entrance. You'll be safe there," Buffy pointed out, before she turn her attentions to Clarice. "Are you alright?"

She nodded hurriedly. "I'm alright, thanks to you. You came just in the nick of time too." Ripping the last shred of cast iron metal aside, Buffy pulled her friend to her feet. "I'm glad to hear that. You sure you're alright?" She questioned, her voice filled with worry. "Don't worry about me. No bite marks or anything. I'm okay," Clarice offered, until she noticed something far ahead in what appeared to be a live body strewn across the grass in between two dilapidated crypts.

"But what about him?" She thrusted her head forward, catching Buffy's attention. "What do you mean? Someone's alive?" "Yeah. I swear it looks like Angel, only he's, well, breathing, and not a vampire. How the hell did that happen?"

Buffy spun qickly towards the bare body, who was breathing soundly against the dry, wheat colored glass. "You gotta be kidding me," Buffy whispered in awe, dropping to her knees to assess whether the person was free of any injuries. "He seems to be alright. What do you think happened?" Clarice offered, eyes widened.

"Not sure, but I think I can figure it out. Hey you, are you alright?" Buffy queried, placing a gentle hand to the man's shoulder. The man pulled himself to his elbows, his eyes squinting against the harsh sun rays. Everything about his movements, his appearance, screamed Angel, but this time, they were inconspicuous.

"Buffy?" He muttered in confusion. "Angel? How do you know my name?" Her mouth was agape.

This resulted in a smile that emanated from him. "How could I forget? I fell in love with you the first moment I saw you, but my demon half was controlling me. You saved me from him. You set me free from his evil."

Both girls stood as still as stones. "By staking him. Were you cursed?"

"For a very long time. I was a vampire, but I wasn't like my counterpart. I had a conscience. Until my mother and father, who were royalty, decided that I needed to be like they were: absolute evil, so they cursed me. I've been this way ever since, with no end in sight. I wasn't like the other vampires; since I was a vampire prince, I had the ability to walk into the sunlight anytime I wanted, enter a church, touch crosses, everything.

"The more older I got, the more evil I became, until I succeeded the throne, and by then, I was in desperate need to have a Queen, in order to bear a child. By then I knew about the End of Days, and that was also the time where I met William. Either way, I was unsuccessful throughout the centuries to find a bride, until one day I came here and found you. I had no idea you were the Slayer. I shouldn't had underestimated you like that. I only heard a few tales about the Chosen One throughout the years I was Angelus. I'm so sorry. For everything." He collapsed to the ground, his eyes closed against the sun's brightness.

Buffy cradled his head into her lap, caressing his pale cheek, which felt warm underneath her fingers. "Don't be. This wasn't your fault. It was his, and your parents. But I think now you were given a second chance, am I right?" Buffy's amazement still resonated.

"Yes, well, that's true, it seems. I don't feel the evil in me anymore, but I do want to be with you. I feel like with you, I can be the righteous man that I want to become. Not all this."

"And you will. I'll make sure of that," Buffy conceded. Basking under the sun, with Clarice in tow looking on at the two former enemies in awe, the Slayer and her former nemesis united themselves with a chaste kiss, for another chance at love, and most importantly for him, redemption.

A/N: This is definitely the final chapter for Pyre's Song. I'm pleased with how it turned out as it was a great story to write, and a lot of fun I must say. Super ultra big thank you's to all those who reviewed, favorited, etc, etc. I hope you guys were pleased with this. I knew what I wanted to write for chapter twelve, except for the ending because I was contemplating at least three or four for this, but I've decided to settle for this one instead, as it's a bit unique. Angelus' seductive vampire powers may have been proven powerful at one point against the Slayer, but I had wanted to make sure that Buffy's resilience and intelligence would be shown, especially with the scene involving William's death.

Not only is the Slayer intelligence, but she is also crafty and sneaky as well, which is why I decided not to write in the scene involving her planning and setting the trap for him, heh. Thank you for taking the time to read this story guys. As always, feedback is greatly appreciated.


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